Two new reports released recently show that global climate change indicators have reached alarming levels. The reports call for setting new targets to reduce carbon emissions to deal with the situation.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has warned all nations in an anxious voice that an environmental catastrophe is looming over us.

The latest report from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) found that global temperatures were at their highest in the last seven years, setting a new record in 2021.

This temperature is being felt in all countries of the world.

WMO secretary-general Petteri Taalas told the UN that southern Italy, Canada, Spain and Turkey had all broken records for warming last summer.

Even though there have been lockdowns due to Covid in the last two years, but the situation has not improved.

UN Secretary-General adviser on climate change, Selwin Hart, said many of the worst-hit areas were developing countries.

Terrible heat waves across North America have broken all previous records. The Death Valley in California recorded a temperature of 54.4 degrees Celsius in July last year. The same temperature was observed in 2020. This is the highest temperature recorded since 1930.

As our planet warms so fast, the rate of health risks is increasing exponentially.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the extreme weather conditions are already causing human habitation, shrinking food shortages, and destroying homes.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has expressed the similar views.

There was no immediate reaction from the Australian government to the report.

SBS News tried to contact Federal Environment Minister Susan Lee but received no comment.

Richie Merzian is the Climate and Energy Program Director at The Australia Institute in Canberra.

As Australia’s representative at UN climate change conferences, he has worked on the local and international climate and energy agendas for nearly a decade.

According to him, the role of the previous Liberal-National Coalition government in this regard is by no means commendable.

The allegations are harsh, but the new government will soon have to find the right answers to improve the future of Australia’s climate.